Sonia Randhawa
Sonia Randhawa
"Sonia Randhawa is a member of GenderIT.org's pool of writer. She is a director of the Centre for Independent Journalism in Malaysia, a board member of feminist communications organisation ISIS-International Manila and a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne."
In depth
Technology and violence against women @ CSW57th: "Both NGOs and states raised this as an issue of concern"
The 57th meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women met in New York from 4th to 15th March. This year the major theme was the 'Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women'. Chat Garcia Ramilo and Jan Moolman from the Association for Progressive Communications' Women's Rights Programme were there, and spoke to Sonia Randhawa about what the CSW is, why it is important…
Feminist talk
Stories that need to be heard
Tonight, as I was thinking through this blog, my three-year-old offered to help. “It's not easy,” I warned her. “You see, there was a man who hurt a woman. He hurt her lots, and told her that if she didn't keep quiet, that he'd hurt her again. But she didn't keep quiet, and she told people her story.”
In depth
Women at the IGF: Now we need to mainstream gender
This year's Internet Governance Forum came to a close in Baku, Azerbaijan on 16 November. GenderIT.org contributor Sonia Randhawa spoke to three women about their experiences at the IGF, and whether any progress is being made in terms of the representation of women, and the prominence of women's rights and gender as cross-cutting issues for internet goverance. Jac sm Kee is from Malaysia and…
In depth
Surveying Women Human Rights Defenders: Harassment is the biggest online problem
The Association for Progressive Communications (APC)'s “Connect your rights: Internet rights are human rights” campaign has commissioned one of the first international surveys of the online threats faced by women human rights defenders (WHRDs). Responses came from 13 English-speaking countries, and across Spanish-speaking Latin America, with just over 40 people responding. The survey thus…
Feminist talk
Rape and the courts: Going online isn't really justice
Savannah Dietrich was raped. The rapists took photographs and circulated them at her school - but in a plea bargain, she was told that she was not allowed to tell people what had happened. She posted the names of her attackers on social media sites, risking a jail sentence and a fine. But is this justice?
Feminist talk
It's violent, it's misogynist. Something needs to be done, but what?
For those of you that don't know the appalling vitriol that Anita Sarkeesian has been subject to, you can read a summary of it here. It's worrying that there are people out there who are capable of perpetrating this campaign of hatred. But what's more worrying is that we don't seem to know what to do…
Feminist talk
Copyright and the digital divide
It's day two of the 'Informal' Asia Europe Foundation meeting on human rights and ICTs, and we're split up into workshops to discuss recommendations that will go to the Foundation's ministerial meeting in November: I'm in the workshop on digital divide. While a lot of interesting ideas came up during the course of the day, the one which causes me most concern is the problem of knowledge that is…
Feminist talk
Flash Mob Korean Style
In Seoul for the Asia Europe Foundation's Informal Meeting on Human Rights, looking at human rights and ICTs, I made a few extra-curricular stops - it was hard not to, when just outside our hotel is an ongoing protest about labour rights. The protest site has obviously been occupied for some time - they are even growing tomato plants - and is just outside a major tourist attraction. The protest…
In depth
Estar conectadas es lo mismo que ir a una manifestación
Treinta personas de los seis continentes participaron en el “Diálogo sobre seguridad digital y defensores/as de los derechos humanos de las mujeres” organizado por APC para analizar las tendencias regionales y mundiales en torno a la seguridad digital, la libertad de expresión y de asociación y su impacto sobre las defensoras de los derechos humanos de las mujeres. Katerina Fialova y Sonia…
Feminist talk
Censorship in South Africa: Protecting or policing?
The Spear is a painting that depicts the African National Congress leader and South African president Jacob Zuma in a rallying pose, with genitals exposed. It has caused controversy and been defaced. Images of the painting have gone viral on internet. In late May 2012, the South African Film and Publications Board classified the painting, as "16N" - not suitable for people under the age of 16…
